5 Ways to Boost a Senior’s Immune System

As people age, their immune systems get weaker. As a result, seniors are much more susceptible to infections or cancer than younger people. This is why maintaining a healthy lifestyle is so much more important for older people. With a few tips, seniors can ensure that they boost their immune system, and fend off sickness. LivHOME Care Management services provide medication oversight, health status assessment and other services to ensure that seniors remain as healthy as possible.

Get the flu vaccine!
It’s extremely important for seniors to get a new flu vaccine every year. The combination of drugs that make up a flu vaccine are determined each year. Scientists anticipate, to the best of their knowledge, what drugs will address the strain of flu that may appear. As a result, flu vaccines will protect a person for only one year at a time. Seniors who get their flu shot are much less susceptible to contracting the disease.

Reduce stress!
It’s always easier said than done, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be done! Identifying the sources of stress in one’s life is the first big step to reducing them. Certainly every little thing that causes frustration cannot be removed, but identifying major stressors will go a long way to eliminating them. Stress will make a person sick and suppresses the immune system.

Go to sleep.
While sleeping, the body naturally boosts the functions of the immune system, and also improves the body’s response to flu shots. Problems seem clearer, and sometimes easier to resolve, in the light of day after a good night’s sleep. Sleep also helps to reduce stress levels. It is a lot easier to deal with stress after a good night’s sleep.

Exercise.
This one can actually be an annoying tip, because everyone says it all the time! However, that doesn’t make it any less true. Moving for any period of time each day will help to strengthen the immune system. Exercise will help the body to fight off infections, and get the blood pumping. The power of walking cannot be understated. Exercise can be just that simple- get outside and walk. During inclement weather malls offer a great opportunity for safe walking, and an entertaining one as well. Many malls open early for walkers, so they can walk without competing with shoppers.

Eat well!
So many times, a family has heard their older loved one saying “I don’t eat much anymore”. Don’t take it lightly. When seniors eat less it means that the food that they do eat should be nutritionally packed. Seniors should focus on eating fruits and vegetables, and other vitamin-rich foods like yogurt and cheese. Nuts are high in vitamins and smoothies can be made from strawberries, bananas, and even kale that is considered a superfood. Without these vitamins and nutrients, the body and the immune system will weaken. On the other hand, maintaining a healthy diet will improve and strengthen all of the body’s systems.